زبان کاوی کاربردی (Feb 2024)
Historical-Descriptive Semantics of the Term "al-Amr" in the Holy Quran [In Persian]
Abstract
Studying the precise meanings and grasping the vocabulary of a text is an essential aspect of research in specialized fields like Semantics. Semantics, traditionally, examines how meanings have evolved, perceiving human language as a dynamic and continuous entity. This study delves into the semantics of the term "al-Amr" in the Quran through a historical-descriptive method, exploring the interconnected meanings and contexts of the term using the axes of substitution and co-occurrence. The findings suggest that the primary significance of "al-Amr" primarily revolves around work and command, with other meanings like subject, consultation, and advice identified as secondary meanings during the Jahiliyyah era. This term, along with its variations, is found 249 times in the Quran, with 78 occurrences in singular form, primarily appearing nominally and frequently co-occurring with the words "Allah and al-Rabb." In the Quran, "al-Amr" is a word with multiple meanings, encompassing 19 semantic facets, with twelve of these aspects achieving consensus. Some of its interpretations include "command, victory, punishment, sin, killing, conquest of Mecca, resurrection, revelation, denial, promise, Jesus son of Mary, decree, circumstance, drowning, abundance, death, consultation, caution, and fertility." The term "al-Amr" in the Quran can be categorized into three groups: matters concerning God, humans, or Satan, with the majority of occurrences of the word "al-Amr" being linked to God. Issues related to "those in authority and enjoining good" pertain to humans, while matters associated with Satan are connected to indecency and denial. When a matter is attributed to God, it signifies the negation of material objects, whereas when attributed to a creation, it denotes gradual existence within temporal and spatial constraints. When paired with the verbs "Qudia, Ata, and Jaa," it indicates punishment and retribution, and when paired with "Wabal" and the verb "Dhaq," it signifies sin and disbelief. Linking a command with providence conveys the concept of divine will and decree, and its correlation with the act of sending down implies revelation. Synonyms for al-Amr in the Quran include "Ahida and Wasiya," where, due to the necessity of implementation, these matters are used interchangeably with commands.
